Impact Rollers: The Unsung Heroes Saving Your Conveyor Belt

Belts, pulleys and drives tend to dominate the thoughts when you consider conveyor systems at a crusher plant or other bulk-handling locations. But one part bears silently the brunt of heavy loading of materials and shields the rest of the system – impact rollers. In their absence, even the most hard conveyor belt will become tired too fast or will collapse suddenly.

This guide will tell why impact rollers are needed at loading points, the construction, the correct placement and size of rollers, and some important hints on the maintenance and inspection.

Why Impact Rollers are important in loading points.

At the loading or transfer point of a conveyor, huge rocks or ores or aggregates fall on the belt with a lot of force. Normal carrying rollers will not be enough to absorb that energy. The outcome is that of belt gouging, cuts or even total tear.

The design of impact rollers is meant to:

• Shock absorbing falling material.
• lessen strain on straps and supports.
• Keep the surface smooth so that there will be no bounce and spillage of the material.
• Enhance belt life, reduce replacement and down time costs.

The installation of impact rollers in the area of impact keeps your conveyor safe, effective and less inclined towards expensive shutdowns.

Construction: Constructed to handle extreme weight.

The design of impact rollers is rather strong, unlike standard carrying rollers:

• Rubber Rings or Discs: Rubber rings (heavy) are installed on roller tube. These rings prevent the belt impact on the impact of falling material and absorb the energy.
• Steel Core or Tube: This is a steel shell which is rigid and is found inside the rubber rings.
• High-quality bearings: Precision bearings are minimally frictional and triple-lip seals prevent dust and water — which are necessary in crusher plants.
• Strong Shaft: A heavy-duty shaft is used to sustain the roller in case of heavy impact and to maintain straightness.

All these factors combined enable the roller to withstand wear, cushion and continue rotating freely even in extreme conditions.

Proper position in Crusher Plants.

Impact roller performance depends on positioning:

1. Find in Loading Zone: Mount them right under the area where the material comes in contact with the belt.
2. Spacing: The spacing is to be maintained at a narrower distance than the distance between the standard carrying rollers – usually 100150 mm (46in) – to form a solid bed beneath the belt.
3. Transition Zones: Impact rollers should only be applied to where it is needed, outside the loading area use normal carrying rollers to save money and friction.
4. Proper Support Frame: Impact roller frames or trough sets should be supported by reinforced side bracket to avoid vibration.

Placing the rollers in an effective manner makes the rollers absorb the shock as opposed to passing the shock to the belt or structure.

Selecting the Size, Material and Spacing.

The right impact rollers will not fail too soon or not work well:

• Diameter: Select roller diameter to match belt width and size of material. Belts that are wider and heavy loads require larger diameter to provide strength and even distribute the load.
• Material: High grade abrasion resistant rubber is desirable. In the case of extreme conditions, polyurethane rings would be used to wear longer.
• Spacing: The tighter the rollers the heavier and sharper the material.
• Load Rating: The load bearing capacity of the manufacturer should be checked; rollers with a higher load rating should be selected than the load that you are likely to need at a time.
• Shaft and Bearing Quality: Choose rollers that have machined shafts and closed bearings to ensure that the maintenance is minimal.

By investing in high quality rollers, downtime, frequency of replacement, and damages on the belt are minimized.

What to Do and Don’t during Inspection and Replacement.

Do’s

• Check impact rollers to see that the rubber rings are worn or cracked.
• Abnormal noise may be an indication of bearing failure, so listen.
• MAKE SURE rollers are rotating freely and are in correct positions in frames.
• Repairing rollers, replace the damaged ones promptly, to avoid a wear on the belt.
• Clean the loading area to decrease the abrasive accumulation.

Don’ts

• Do not keep on running with a roller that is grabbed or broken it will cut through the belt.
• Do not combine varying roller diameter or material in the same area of impact.
• Do not omit greasing, or lubrication, where necessary in your model (most of the modern rollers are sealed and need no maintenance, however, check specs).
• Do not overload the conveyor to beyond capacity, impact rollers cannot keep up with chronic overloading.
• The easiest method of protecting both rollers and belts is by maintaining them in a disciplined manner.

Cost-Efficiency: More than Saving the Belt.

Even though impact rollers are pricier than ordinary rollers, they will pay off within a short time:

• Reduce Belt Replacement Costs: They endure gouges and tears, which in turn increase the life of the belt.
• Less Downtime: The fewer the belt repairs, the more they are productive.
• Minimal Spillage: Stable belt support saves on clean up costs.
• Long Structural Life: Long Structural Life: Long Structural life is less vibrated and will not be damaged early.

In any plant that handles heavy and abrasive material the payback is high.

How to maintain impact roller and cost related frequently asked questions.

1. What is the frequency of inspection of impact rollers?
Examine them once per week in high impact areas. Use more frequency when the material in your plant is very abrasive or large.

2. At which time should I change impact rollers?
Change rubber rings that have deep cracks, level spots or rollers that no longer turn easily.

3. Is it possible to use standard rollers at loading points, rather than impact rollers?
Do not use – they do not provide the cushioning required to carry heavy loads, and may cause belt damage.

4. How long do impact rollers last?
Quality rollers will last 2-5 years under appropriate choice and care and based on the severity of the load and the environmental conditions.

5. Is polyurethane better than rubber in impact roller?
Polyurethane is less expensive; it has increased abrasion resistance and increased life. Apply to sharp material or extreme conditions.

6. Are impact rollers upsurge conveyor power usage?
Well installed rollers do little to influence power consumption. Rollers that are captured, or misaligned, though, may increase drag.

Conclusion

Impact rollers might not be of interest, but they are essential to a healthy conveyor system. They protect your belt against damage, enhance productivity and minimize maintenance expenses by absorbing shock during loading points.

When it comes to such heavy-duty processes as crusher plants, the selection of appropriate rollers and their maintenance is an investment that returns to the ease of operations and long-term service of the equipment.

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